Dear Carers,

As we welcome autumn and the changing season, we are also seeing change beginning to take place in the way we are living with the pandemic. It is wonderful to see our community starting to reconnect with each other and have more opportunities to do this in ways where we can get together in person.  

One of the biggest challenges carers had to face during the height of COVID-19 was the lack of social connection and the isolation brought about by the health restrictions. The last carer wellbeing survey reported 36% of carers in the ACT often feel lonely and isolated. This was an increase of 10% in 12 months, clearly being exacerbated in the last 12-18 months due to COVID-19. I want to acknowledge that while some of us are feeling able to connect in person and re-engage in social activities, some carers and the people they care for are still isolated and we need to keep reaching out to these people to ensure they are not feeling even more lonely than they previously were. To this end we will keep delivering programs online and in person so that people can connect in ways that they feel comfortable.  

If you are feeling comfortable to be out of the home environment, I encourage you to reconnect in person with family and friends, and the broader community. One of the pillars in building positive wellbeing is connection, and studies have shown that developing healthy social relationships significantly increases our feelings of happiness, security, belonging and self-worth. You can start doing this in small steps, such as catching up with a friend over coffee, visiting a loved one or planning a family walk to see the season’s colours slowly changing. 

We are presently taking advantage of the budget cycle to have meaningful conversations with our MLAs to build more awareness about caring relationships and the impact these have on the everyday lives of carers. In these conversations, we are consistently advocating for significant changes in programs and policies to better support carers in all aspects such as services, education, employment and many more.  

We are always here to provide support and assistance anytime you need it. Please do not hesitate to call on us at (02) 6296 9900 or email us at carers@carersact.org.au if we can be of help in any way.  

Warm regards, 

Lisa Kelly    

CEO

LET’S BE CLEAR ON THE VALUE OF CARERS 

Carers Australia issued a response to the paper released by the Disability Royal Commission on the responses to the violence and abuse of people with disability issues paper, which highlighted cases where ‘carers’ were perpetrators of abuse.  In her statement, acting CEO Melanie Cantwell emphasised that the term ‘carer’ should not be confused with ‘abuser’ or used broadly and without context to describe a paid care worker, foster carer or a family member or friend. She also urged the Commission to improve recognition of the relationship between carers and the person they care for and focus on protective activities in the recommendations to support carers to maintain and thrive in their caring role.

You can view the full response titled “Let’s be clear on the value of carers’ here.   

RE-ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS INTO RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE FACILITIES PROGRAM   

The Australian Government has released a new residential aged care facilities (RACFs) program, to help address the decline in volunteer numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In recognition of the social isolation and loneliness aged care residents have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to address the decline in volunteers during this time, the Australian Government is encouraging the return of volunteers and encouraging new volunteers to residential aged care facilities (RACFs). RACFs can now nominate for volunteers to provide, non-clinical social support and companionship.  

Volunteers can assist in several ways, including: 

• leisure activities, physical activity, and exercise 
• access to and supervision in outdoor spaces or the community 
• companionship, conversation, and social engagement 
• culturally specific and individually appropriate support 
• administration support (e.g., answering calls, message running, restocking of PPE). 

For more information, visit: Re-engaging volunteers into residential aged care facilities program  

NATIONAL SENIORS REPORT - “AS CLOSE TO HOME AS POSSIBLE”  

National Seniors Australia has recently released a comprehensive report on what older Australians want now in aged care, containing insights from the research they conducted in the wake of the Royal Commission's hearings and media coverage. Titled 'As close to home as possible', the report found that if older Australians had to go into residential aged care, they wanted a place that was more like a home than an institution. The report also identifies essential things older Australians need when deciding which aged care home they would choose, which include information about facilities, effective communication, guidance in navigating the aged care system, professional services to protect the welfare of care seekers and more effective communication on aged care planning. 

You can view the full report here.  

HOYTS CINEMA CONCESSION FOR CARERS    

Hoyts Cinemas has again renewed its agreement with Carers Australia for 2022 to offer discounts to carers who attend movie sessions with the person they care for. Hoyts is offering carers an adult ticket for $1.10 (maximum of 1 ticket per day) when accompanying the person they care for to the cinema. To take up this offer, carers must present a government-recognised carer identification, such as a Healthcare Card or Centrelink Pension Card. If carers are not accompanying the person they care for, they are required to pay the regular rate.

Please visit the Carers Australia website for more information on this offer. 

BE A PART OF OUR 3OTH ANNIVERSARY MEDIA CAMPAIGN 

Carers ACT is celebrating our 30th Anniversary this year and as part of our media campaign, we will be featuring a diverse collection of carer stories to give recognition to the valuable role that carers have played in our community through the years. We invite carers who would like to share their own personal stories and experiences to be a part of this campaign, which will be featured in various platforms such as social media, television, and print publication.  

Professional media training can be provided, and carers will be able to participate in various ways however they feel most comfortable. By sharing your own experience, you can make a huge difference in the lives of other carers and help raise awareness about the important work that carers do to support the most vulnerable members of our community. If you are interested in participating, please send us an email at communications@carersact.org.au or get in touch with Rochelle Santiago at (02) 6296 9986.            

We have new and exciting workshops on offer in the coming months. Workshops are a great way to build up skills in relation to wellbeing and caring, and they are also a fantastic way to meet new people who share similar experiences. Come and join us for these upcoming workshops:  

BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR DECISIONS AS A CARER 

Carers make big decisions that are extremely important and have significant consequences. Often, we are faced with difficult questions such as – What is the best care arrangement? Can I afford to work or not work? Is this the best option for the future of the person I am caring for? In this workshop we will consider several common mistakes that people make when making decisions and then we will consider an approach to decision making that will help you to be more confident in your decisions as a carer.  

The next online workshop will be held on Tuesday 5 April, 5:00 - 6:00pm. To register or get more information, visit: Event Management (carersact.org.au) 

BRINGING CARERS TOGETHER WORKSHOPS 

We are running several workshops to bring carers with similar lived experiences together. These workshops are a great opportunity to meet people who are in a similar situation and understand what you are going through. Our expert facilitators will guide participants to listen and learn from each other and receive feedback on your experience which can help you manage your situation better and assist in your personal growth. Most importantly, you will make connections with other carers that last and meet people that understand you and who you can turn to when you need support.  

To learn more or register for our upcoming workshops, please click on the following links: 

Bringing Carers Caring for Children Together (26th March 10am – 4pm)

Bringing Carers Together- Male Carers Only Group (5th April 10am-4pm)

CARER SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE ILLAWARRA 

Did you know that Carers ACT provides services in the Illawarra region?  

Our services include respite retreats and a day program, and both are designed to give the carer a break from their caring role. If you or someone you know is living in the Illawarra and may benefit from these services, please share this information. 

Day Program 

Each Tuesday, from 10am to 2pm, Carers ACT hosts a day group which provides personal and professional care for people who are ageing and/or living with dementia. Our services include an interactive program and lunch, which enables family and friend carers to have a short break from caring. This service is located at the Dapto Ribbonwood Centre.  

Respite Retreats 

Retreats are held several times a year and are specifically for carers over 65 (over 50 if Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander) to have a break with the ageing person they care for. The carer has the option to attend activities including self-care and education workshops or just take time for yourself. It is a great opportunity to have a few nights away from the daily tasks of cooking, cleaning and have some time to nurture yourself while the person you care for is looked after by our qualified, experienced, and caring staff. 

Eligibility 

To be eligible for these services, you must be: 

• A resident of the Illawarra Local Government Area  
• You and the person you care for must be aged 65 and older (or 50+ if Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander)  
• You or the person you care for will need a My Aged Care referral for respite.  

We will discuss the process with you on application and support you in accessing a referral if needed. For more information on these services, please call us on 6282 9982 or email group.programs@carersact.org.au  

DIGITAL COMPETENCY MENTORING PROGRAM FOR VULNERABLE PEOPLE  

Carers ACT is calling for expressions of interest from carers, your family members, or friends, who are interested in being trained as mentors to help carers and other people in the ACT to use their mobile device or tablet. 

The project will include free ‘train the trainer’ style of learning for you as a volunteer, so you can share your knowledge and assist others in a ‘one-on-one’ mentoring session. You will be teaching and supporting carers/people to better use their smart phone or tablet – not doing this for them.   

If you are interested in volunteering for this, you will be required to: 

• undertake the free digital mentoring training (approximately 4 hours). You don’t need to be a digital/IT specialist nor know every device available on the market, as the training will cover this and ‘how to’ find solutions to help carers/others with their confidence and competency. 
• be available after the training to offer ongoing ‘one-on-one’ mentoring sessions to carers/other people. This will be coordinated through a booking service, offered in a set location, and be based on your availability. 

To register your interest to volunteer or for further information, please click on this form. 

CHANGES TO VISITOR RESTRICTIONS AT HEALTH FACILITIES 

ACT Health has announced some changes to visitor restrictions at health facilities. As of 4 March, people are now allowed to visit at the following areas of Canberra Hospital and University of Canberra Hospital:   

• the Canberra Region Cancer Centre. 
• Wards 14A, 14B, 10A and 4B; and 
• Other wards in hospitals where patients are at a higher risk of infection (for example, ICU) 

Visitors will be required to do a rapid-antigen test (RAT) prior to entering. Only two people per day can visit patients at hospitals and health services and this is limited to one visitor at a time to ensure physical distancing is always maintained. 

Visitors must also continue to complete the ACT health facilities digital screening tool available on the ACT Health App, and receive a green tick, before entering. 

For more information, visit: Visitors at health facilities

Thank you to all the carers who came along to ‘Caring Together’ the conference hosted by Mental Health Carers Voice. It was lovely for our team to meet you all and we certainly learnt a lot and hope you all got lots out of it too.  

During the month we also commented on the proposed amendments to the Senior Practitioner Act 2018 and continued representing the voice of carers on numerous hospital and health related committees.  

As always, we promise to keep you informed of any formal opportunities for you to provide comment and/ or representation. However, we are always keen to hear from you about any issues that have concerned you in your caring role via carer.advocacy@carersact.org.au. 

LIVING WITH DEMENTIA PROGRAM 

Dementia Australia is offering a 7-week program for people living with dementia, their carers, and family members, which provides an overview of dementia and how to proceed after a diagnosis. It covers coping with change, relationships, and communication, planning for the future, and staying healthy. This program is delivered interactively, and participants will be encouraged to share their experiences alongside other participants giving them an opportunity to develop new support networks.  

The 7-week program commences on 27 April 2022 and will be held on Wednesdays from 10:00am – 12:30pm. To register go to: https://bit.ly/34uG1nU or view the program flyer for more information. 

IMAGINE MORE – SCHOOL TO WORK WEBINARS 

Imagine More is hosting webinars that aim to build the capacity of families and supporters to help secondary students with disability find meaningful, paid work. Many people with disability don’t have the same opportunity to obtain real employment, with many attending grouped employment, day programs or disability-specific employment options. It's never too early to support your son or daughter to start thinking about what life after school could look like by having meaningful employment. School to Work will help your child with disability and your family dream of work and build confidence to explore what work might look like for them.  

The School-to-Work webinars are free and available on-demand from 14 March to 19 April 2022. To register or find more information, visit: Imagining, Discovering, and Finding Work - Imagine More

IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

ACT Health Directorate (ACTHD) has been working on a Position Statement regarding mental health supports and services for people who also have Intellectual Disability and need more significant input from people with lived experience. ACTHD would appreciate the opportunity to talk with people with Intellectual Disability, their families, or carers to hear about their experiences in accessing information, support or treatment for mental health issues or mental illness.  This will allow them to test the recommendations made and receive input to finalise the Position Statement on Improving Mental Health Services for People with Intellectual Disability.  

Please contact the Mental Health Policy and Strategy team via email at ACTMentalHealthPolicy@act.gov.au or phone Melissa Lee on 02 5124 9780 to get involved.  

AUTISM CRC – SUPPORTING CHILDREN GUIDELINE CONSULTATION 

Autism CRC is currently working on a national practice guideline for supporting the development and participation of children on the autism spectrum and their families. As part of the guideline development process, they want to hear from as many people as possible about what’s important to them and what they think the guideline should include. Carers are invited to participate in an online survey which will shape the national guideline and support families to make informed choices when accessing services. The survey will close at 5pm AEST 29 March 2022.  

ACT DISABILITY STRATEGY 

The ACT Government is developing a ten-year Disability Strategy to create a more welcoming and inclusive community and improve the lives of the more than 80,000 Canberrans who identify as people with disability. They want to hear your ideas and experiences on how the ACT should implement inclusive actions and activities which create change in our community. 

From March 2022, consultations will start across the whole community through a public listening campaign, to understand what our community wants to see included in the ACT Disability Strategy. For more information on how you can take part in the consultations, visit: ACT Disability Strategy | YourSay ACT 

UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA RESEARCH PROJECT – CARERS OF PEOPLE WITH HEART FAILURE 

Volunteers are invited to participate in a research project currently being undertaken at the University of Canberra to better understand the social and emotional needs of carers of people with heart failure, and to explore how these needs are impacted by the relationship quality between both parties. If you are an adult who provides care to your spouse who has been diagnosed with heart failure for more than 1 year, your insight will be highly valuable.  You will be asked to participate in an interview to discuss issues relating to social and emotional needs, relationship quality and your overall wellbeing.

For more information, please get in touch with Kath Carleton at (02) 6201 5843 or email 3179444@uni.canberra.edu.au.